New Mexico State Animal

New Mexico Law

The following information was excerpted from the New Mexico Statutes, Chapter 12, Article 3, Section 12-3-4.

CHAPTER 12 Miscellaneous Public Affairs Matters
ARTICLE 3 State Seal, Song and Symbols

12-3-4. State flower; state bird; state tree; state fish; state animal; state vegetables; state gem; state grass; state fossil; state cookie; state insect; state question; state answer; state nickname; state butterfly; state reptile; state amphibian; state aircraft; state historic railroad.

A. The yucca flower is adopted as the official flower of New Mexico.

B. The chaparral bird, commonly called roadrunner, is adopted as the official bird of New Mexico.

C. The nut pine or pinon tree, scientifically known as Pinus edulis, is adopted as the official tree of New Mexico.

D. The native New Mexico cutthroat trout is adopted as the official fish of New Mexico.

E. The native New Mexico black bear is adopted as the official animal of New Mexico.

F. The chile, the Spanish adaptation of the chilli, and the pinto bean, commonly known as the frijol, are adopted as the official vegetables of New Mexico.

G. The turquoise is adopted as the official gem of New Mexico.

H. The blue grama grass, scientifically known as Bouteloua gracillis, is adopted as the official grass of New Mexico.

I. The coelophysis is adopted as the official fossil of New Mexico.

J. The bizcochito is adopted as the official cookie of New Mexico.

K. The tarantula hawk wasp, scientifically known as Pepsis formosa, is adopted as the official insect of New Mexico.

L. "Red or green?" is adopted as the official question of New Mexico.

M. "Red and green or Christmas" is adopted as the official answer of New Mexico.

N. "The Land of Enchantment" is adopted as the official nickname of New Mexico.

O. The Sandia hairstreak is adopted as the official butterfly of New Mexico.

P. The New Mexico whiptail lizard, scientifically known as Cnemidophorus neomexicanus, is adopted as the official reptile of New Mexico.

Q. The New Mexico spadefoot toad, scientifically known as Spea multiplicata, is adopted as the official amphibian of New Mexico.

R. The hot air balloon is adopted as the official aircraft of New Mexico.

S. The Cumbres and Toltec scenic railroad is adopted as the official historic railroad of New Mexico.

Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780:
Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) Here you will find authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

Ursus americanus (American Black Bear):
CalPhoto photographs. The Biodiversity Sciences Technology group (BSCIT), a part of the Berkeley Natural History Museums at the University of California, Berkeley.

Black Bear: North America's Bear,
by Stephen R. Swinburne. 32 pages. Boyds Mills Press; 1 edition (August 2003) Reading level: Ages 4-8. Swinburne traveled to several locales to observe biologists at work, including a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in New Hampshire who has mentored orphaned cubs for 10 years. The readable text offers observations about bear behavior, often addressing common misconceptions. Fact boxes present additional information, such as the controversy about hibernation versus semi-hibernation and a look at tracking individual animals. The combination of full-color photos, some taken of Swinburne's observations, and the historical photographs from National and Yellowstone Park Service archives, expands the reading experience.

Discovering Black Bears,
by Margaret Anderson, Nancy Field, Karen Stephenson. 40 pages. Dog-Eared Publications (October 31, 2007) Discovering Black Bears is a nature activity book that explores the natural history of the American black bear, its behavior and habitat. It also covers bear-human conflicts and how problems can be resolved. This engaging book, aimed at children of all ages, introduces the reader to real-life bear biologists, who have new insights into bear behavior. Discovering Black Bears has full color illustrations, a sheet of black bear stickers, and contains 20 activities designed to challenge children s minds.

Black Bears: A Natural History,
by Dave Taylor. 256 pages. Fitzhenry and Whiteside; 1 edition (July 28, 2006) In 1990 author, naturalist and photographer Dave Taylor set out to research and photograph black bears in North America - a quest that took him from the high arctic to the swamps of Florida, and from the East Coast to the shores of the Pacific. Lavishly illustrated throughout with more than 100 full-colour photographs, maps and charts, Black Bears introduces the reader to this shy, reclusive and largely misunderstood animal with an encyclopedic examination of the black bear's world by state, province and territory.

Living With Bears: A Practical Guide to Bear Country,
by Linda Masterson. 256 pages. PixyJack Press (April 1, 2006) Colorado author Linda Masterson dispels myths, replaces fear with respect, and lays the foundation for improving human-black bear relations with an inside look at the fascinating world of these highly intelligent, adaptable and resourceful animals found in 41 U.S. states and every province in Canada.

Backcountry Bear Basics: The Definitive Guide to Avoiding Unpleasant Encounters,
by Dave Smith. 157 pages. Mountaineers Books; 2 edition (November 30, 2006) Everything you need to know about traveling and camping safely in bear country. No more myths. No more rumors. No more horror stories. Backcountry Bear Basics, 2nd Edition provides tested strategies to help you avoid conflict with black bears and grizzlies. Bear expert Dave Smith gives you the basics-like how to choose a good campsite and properly store your food so that you don't have to worry whether that pepper spray you brought will work on the bear that wanders into camp. He debunks commonly held myths about people and bears.

Folkmanis Black Bear Cub Puppet,
The Folkmanis black bear cub is a cute 15-inch puppet with just the right amount of stuffing making this cub a snuggly teddy bear but with additional play value it has a movable mouth and front paws.